Railroad spike



E. W. SMITH.

RAILROAD SPIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.26, 1921.

1,407, 93, Patented Feb. 28,1922.

1, 15025273, hum m UNITED STATES ELTON W. SMITH, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

RAILROAD SPIKE.

Application filed April 26, 1921.

of a locking member arranged to cooperate with the spike proper: and inthe application of such locking member force the-spike proper to causea'portion thereof to be driven into the material of the tie, the lockingmember, when in fully operative position, cooperating with the spikeproper, so as to interlock therewith to prevent acc1-. dental separationof the spike proper and locking member. i In the drawings 7 Fig. 1 is aperspective view showing the spike and interlocking member in spacedrelation;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view partly in elevation illustrating thecooperating application of the improved spike and locking member.

The improved spike is made up of two members, a spike proper 1 and alocking member 2. The spike proper is of the usual dimensions having thedriving point'3 and head 4:. Below the head the spike is formed on oneside with a projection 5 having an outer inclined surface which mergesinto the surface of the spike at the lower end of said projection. Theupper edge of the projection presents an abrupt surface 6 atsubstantially right angles to the spike surface.

That surface of the spike proper opposite the projection 5 is formedimmediately below the head with a recess 7. The cooperating or lockingmember 2 is of substantially similar form to that of an ordinary spike,though of less dimensions, the inner surface 8 of the locking memberbeing plane throughout its length, except at its upper portion, whilethe outer surface of the locking member is tapered at the lower end at 9to fern 1 a point. The locking member has a head 10, the inner margin ofwhich is in the form of a projection 11 adapted to cooperate with therecess 7 in the spike proper, the inter- Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922. Serial No. 464,604.

locking member immediately below the projection being recessed as at 12to avoid interference member. I

The rail 13 is designed to besupported on a usual bed plate 14 whichimmediately beyond the edges of the rail base is formed with spikereceiving openings 15. These openings are substantially equal in thatdimension transversely of the rail to the combined width of the spikeproper and interlocking member. v Initially the spike proper is passedthrough the elongated opening 15 and into the tie 16, the movement beingcontinued until the head of the spike proper rests upon the uppersurface of the rail base. The proportions are suchthat in this position,the pro- 'jection 5 of the spike proper isbelow the upper surface of thetie.

her 2 is then driven into forces the upper end of into intimate contactwith the remote edge of the opening 15, at the same time forcing theprojection 5 laterally into the material of the tie. The interlockingmember is driven into a position which will permit the projection 11thereof to rideinto the recess 7 of the the spike proper andinterlocking member will so completely fill the opening 15 in the Thelocking memthe opening and the spike proper plate that accidentalseparation of the parts s practically impossible. The plane surface 8 ofthe interlocking member bears squarely against the adjacent surface ofthe spike proper, thus tending to move the spike proper bodily and toalign it vertically with respect to the rail. Theprojection 5 of thespike proper has been of course forced laterally into the material ofthe tie, thus forming a recess for itself in the material of the tie,which will. materially ing accidental upward spike proper.

I claim 1 A railroad spike comprising a spike proper having a. lateralprojection and an engaging member adapted to be driven lengthwise thespike proper-"to force the projection of the spike proper into thematerial of the tie, the spike proper being formed with a recess and theengaging member havinga projection to seat in; said recess when theparts are in cooperative relation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ELTON W. SMITH.

movement of the in applying the interlocking spikeproper, at which timeassist in prevent-

